Games For Cultural Heritage Research Articles

What drives user churn in serious games? An empirical examination of the TAM, SOR theory, and game quality in Chinese cultural heritage games

User churn in serious games related to Chinese cultural heritage is severe due to various game quality issues, leading to a lack of long-term user feedback necessary for optimizing design, which further hampers the development of such games. Through user interviews and literature review, this study identified two dimensions of quality of cultural heritage serious games: factors related to online gaming and those intrinsic to serious games. Within the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theoretical framework of, this study integrates these quality factors within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to construct a user churn model. This model explores the relationship between quality factors and user churn. Utilizing 534 valid responses gathered from online platforms, this study employs statistical analyses and structural equation modeling to uncover that learning objectives, entertainment experience, system quality, and game design profoundly influence both perceived usefulness and ease of use, which in turn indirectly impacts user churn. Service quality’s influence on user churn is mediated by perceived usefulness, while brand image affects churn through perceived ease of use. Notably, learning objectives and entertainment experience emerge as critical determinants. The insights gained offer valuable guidance for game designers in addressing user needs, enhancing game quality, and reducing churn. Building on previous research, this study uses a mixed-methods approach and identifies factors affecting user churn in the context of cultural heritage serious games and validated the model’s rationality and effectiveness, enriching the foundational theoretical research on serious games.

Understanding Users’ Behavior Intention of Serious Games for Intangible Cultural Heritage Based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response Model

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) represents a major component of the global cultural heritage. It is confronted with challenges in its preservation and transmission. Unlike tangible cultural heritage, which has seen extensive research through serious games, ICH has not received similar attention. Despite the prevalent application of serious games in previous research on cultural heritage conservation, the focus has primarily been on ICH. However, their importance has been largely ignored in the scholarly investigation of ICH preservation. We propose a theoretical model that combines the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), with a survey of 551 gamers utilized for data collection. Our results indicate that the three stimuli of serious games (enjoyment, cultural identity, and aesthetic quality) significantly impact user perceptions. Furthermore, these perceptions (i.e., perceived usefulness, ease of use, entertainment, and empathy) all positively influence user behavioral intentions. This research increases the understanding of user engagement with serious games for ICH and offers valuable insights for designers and stakeholders in the development of these educational tools.

Research on an evaluation rubric for promoting user's continuous usage intention: a case study of serious games for Chinese cultural heritage.

The sustainable development of serious games dedicated to Chinese cultural heritage faces challenges due to the lack of prolonged user engagement and iterative optimization based on long-term user feedback. This situation not only hinders the sustainable growth of these games but also limits the transmission of Chinese cultural heritage, a problem that demands urgent attention yet remains under-acknowledged. This study synthesizes literature to unearth user needs from three dimensions: motivational use, quality requirements of games, and continuous usage intention. It identifies 14 influential factors, including cognitive satisfaction, immersion satisfaction, and achievement satisfaction. Drawing from the User Experience Rubric for Educational Games-CH (UEREG-CH) evaluation rubric and the Delphi method, these factors are expanded into an evaluation system model comprising six primary indicators, 14 secondary indicators, and 38 tertiary indicators. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is utilized for expert scoring to assign weights to each indicator. This is combined with the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to arrive at a final user score of Z = 3.4228, indicating that the evaluation rubric is close to 'good' and has received positive user feedback. Ultimately, this generates an evaluation rubric tailored to the specific context of serious games for cultural heritage. By integrating qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper confirms the scientific and rational nature of the evaluation rubric. The study aims to establish a user-approved rubric that encourages continuous usage intention, thereby providing effective guidance for game developers and assisting users in selecting appropriate games, while also addressing the theoretical gap in the field of evaluation for serious games related to cultural heritage.

Students Attitude to Serious Games for Cultural Heritage

Serious games are video games designed for purposes other than entertainment and applied mainly for education or training. In the context of cultural heritage, serious games leverage technology to engage users in educational and immersive experiences related to historical sites, artifacts, and cultural traditions. The paper explores how K12 and university students assess serious games for cultural heritage concerning game experience and learnability. The research focuses on appreciating students learning tangible and intangible heritage by playing two serious video maze games – “The Heritage of Valchan Voivoda” concerning intangible heritage and the “Let Us Save Venice” game about heritage resilience and sustainability. The paper describes the game design process based on an automatic generation of the maze using a formal description, the maze topology, and the methodology for evaluating game learnability and game experience. The analysis compares results obtained by an experimental validation of the two games. The findings prove that serious maze video games, as a part of digital culture, are an appropriate tool for learning the cultural heritage of students of different ages.

A Conception of an Instrument Supporting the Design of Educational Video Games for Cultural Heritage

Educational video games in Cultural Heritage (CH) represent modern and relevant digital media intended to educate learners on the knowledge, preservation, and protection of CH. Designers and educators design and create video games for education dedicated to CH (intangible and tangible) to acquaint learners with multiple aspects of the respective cultural heritage’s history, significance, and information. At the same time, these games allow learners to perceive this information and acquire knowledge in a modern and interactive way - by playing a digital educational video game and learning the integrated didactic content for the specific CH object. This paper presents the conception of a software instrument that supports and assists designers (including designers who are not professionals in the field of information technologies) in designing educational video games for Cultural Heritage (CH). The instrument is based on applying the author’s Summary Model of the Design process for educational video games for CH (Summary Model DELIS-CH) and using the Classification of Educational Video Games for CH. Among the main objectives of the instrument is to provide a facilitated opportunity for an assisted and supported the initiation of the processes of designing video games for education for CH, as well as to provide specific design recommendations based on the classification to serve designers (including designers who are not IT specialists) for the future processes of designing and creating educational video games for CH. Designers can use the instrument and, through its designed functionalities, generate a particular custom-made video game description that includes design recommendations for designers to design and create educational video games for CH. In addition, the paper presents a model of the essential user functionalities of the instrument and their description.

The Impact of Puzzle-Based Game With Scaffolding-Aid on Cultural Heritage Learning: Evidence From Eye Movements

The pedagogical value and global relevance of heritage education regarding the safeguarding of global tradition and practice for future generations is indisputable. This research aims to investigate the efficacy of integrating a puzzle-based game, with scaffolding strategies, to enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of cultural heritage content. In the activity, students are tasked with reconstructing art patterns from cultural heritage artifacts, a process which is designed to bolster their performance in recognizing and appreciating such patterns. A control group, utilizing a non-interactive instructional video with the same content, was also established to contrast and evaluate the benefits of the game-based approach. The evaluation of knowledge acquisition and transfer was conducted through pattern tests, with the participants’ eye movements recorded during the testing process. The results show that the participants in the game group exhibited significant advantages in terms of efficiently recognizing fundamental content and effectively transferring pattern recognition. Furthermore, the examination of the visual behavior within the game reveals that the integration of the jigsaw puzzle (game mechanic) and scaffolding (instructional strategy) can enhance the efficacy and cognitive strategies employed by participants in comprehending heritage content. This study develops design methodologies for cultural heritage games that enhances learning and appreciation.

The Design Process of Educational Video Games in Cultural Heritage

This paper presents a summary model of the design process of educational video games for CH . The model is based on the use of the Classification of Educational Video Games for Cultural Heritage (CH) and the Design Recommendations included in it, described in a previous study by the author of this paper. The summary model focuses on CH objects that form the theme of the educational video game. Designers should carefully and purposefully research and analyze the CH objects, use the classification, and follow the design recommendations to design educational video games for CH, following the described design stages in the presented summary model of the design process. The paper also presents an appropriate example of using the summary model in applying it to design a new educational maze video game dedicated to CH object. The proposed summary model can serve as a starting point in establishing the design process of educational video games for CH and direct designers and creators of such games in the overall design process. Based on the classification and the design recommendations intended for the designers, the summary model presents essential design stages that designers should follow in designing and developing informative, purposeful, and effective educational video games in CH.

Maximizing Engagement with Cultural Heritage through Video Games

This paper aims to provide a framework for creating and analyzing cultural heritage games, with the intention of maximizing players’ cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement with digital heritage. To achieve this, a set of game design characteristics was identified through semi-structured interviews with experts (n = 16) and subsequently validated through a discussion with university students (n = 19). Grounded theory was then applied to the comments of the experts to create a framework of ten fundamental characteristics, divided into three dimensions: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. Additionally, an assessment of the literature was conducted to explain and support the inclusion of each game component.

Cultural Heritage Game Design Based on the Collective Memory Reconstruction Model

Current methods for constructing collective memory of urban cultural heritage mainly rely on landscaping and museum exhibitions, however, these methods lack engagement and fun, making it difficult for people to form deep memories and a sense of place for the city. This paper proposes an urban cultural heritage game based on the collective memory reconstruction model. Combining location-based service and augmented reality technologies, the game provides a firstperson gaming experience with narratives and levels correlated with historical and cultural attractions in the Nantou Ancient City, Shenzhen. Subsequently, a controlled experiment was conducted to verify the effectiveness of the game design. A total of 25 users participated in the experiment. Results show that the proposed design can enhance players’ touring experience, cultural perception, and place attachment. This paper explores the theory and application of collective memory reconstruction and provides an empirical reference for cultural heritage game design.

Co-Designing the User Experience of Location-Based Games for a Network of Museums: Involving Cultural Heritage Professionals and Local Communities

The design of location-based games (LBGs) for cultural heritage should ensure the active participation and contribution of local communities and heritage professionals to achieve contextual relevance, importance, and content validity. This paper presents an approach and methods of the participatory and co-design of LBGs that promote awareness and learning about the intangible cultural heritage of craftsmanship and artisanal technology throughout a long-term project from sensitization to implementation. Following the design thinking process, we outline the participatory methods (and reflect on results and lessons learnt) of involving cultural heritage professionals, local communities, and visitors (users) of museums and cultural settlements, mainly: field visits, design workshops, field playtesting, and field studies. We discuss issues of participatory design that we experienced throughout the project such as participant centrality and representativeness, producing tangible output from meetings, co-creation of content via playtesting, and implications from the pandemic. This work contributes a case of participatory and co-design of LBGs for cultural heritage that is characterized by longevity and engagement throughout the design process for three LBGs of a museum network in different cultural sites.

Do Game Designers’ Decisions Related to Visual Activities Affect Knowledge Acquisition in Cultural Heritage Games? An Evaluation From a Human Cognitive Processing Perspective

In the cultural heritage domain, games have been used to engage users into an active state of learning through immersive and playful interactions that include visually enriched interaction contexts. There is evidence that individual differences in the inherent way people search, process, analyze, comprehend, store, and retrieve visual information in their surrounding environment are reflected in their performance, experience, effectiveness, and efficiency in such environments. Despite the fact that cultural heritage game designers favor learning experiences in such contexts, current design and evaluation practices of cultural heritage games barely consider the gamers’ individual differences in visual information processing. This can be attributed to a deficiency in understanding and modeling the effects among users’ visual behavior, gameplay behavior, and cognitive styles in cultural heritage games toward knowledge acquisition, resulting in insufficient methods of creating cognition-centered user models and considering such human cognitive factors practically, within current state-of-the-art design and evaluation approaches. To address this gap, we selected three known cultural heritage games, adopted a credible cognitive style theory, and performed, over a 6-month period, three separate evaluation user studies ( N =127) following a between-subject, eye-tracking based, experimental design. The results of the evaluation studies revealed that game designers’ decisions, related to visual search, unintentionally favored users with specific cognitive characteristics by influencing their visual and consequently gameplay behavior, resulting in differences in knowledge acquisition. The results of the evaluation studies also revealed correlation effects during gameplay among individual differences in visual information processing, users’ visual behavior strategies, and gameplay behavior. The findings necessitate the consideration of cognitive characteristics as evaluation and design factors when delivering cultural heritage activities that are based on visual search tasks. Their consideration will help us better understand and explain the different information processing approaches in cultural heritage contexts and will drive the design of adaptive mechanisms for delivering personalized cultural heritage activities, tailored to the users’ unique cognitive characteristics.

The Enthusiast, the Interested, the Sceptic, and the Cynic

We discuss the user study of a mobile cultural heritage game designed to stimulate reflection about a city's history. Aided by location-aware technology, the game fosters the serendipitous discovery of points of interest, historical images and stories, whilst players wander the city. This exploration differs from the typical precalculated path recommendations used by other location-based applications. It triggers reflection about the city's past that is as unique as its visitors. Ours is one of the first studies to attempt an understanding of the effects of serendipitous urban discovery and historic reflection-triggering technologies on user experience. We combined field trials with controlled experiments, analysing perceptions of the experience and value using responses expressed in open-ended questionnaire items. Using thematic coding and sentiment analysis, we observed types of emotional responses, indicating four potential profiles of their likelihood towards future technology adoption. Enthusiastic and Interested users appreciated the freedom of movement choice that created an autonomous experience that fostered a sense of personal accomplishment. The interface interactions of the game, designed to stimulate reflection, supported a feeling of connectedness to others. In contrast, Cynical and Sceptical users were less tolerant of perceived technological issues, requiring more perfection in functionality and design. These users are less likely to be the early adopters of serendipitous location-based apps. The game was developed as part of a large cultural informatics project but, unlike typical evaluations, we conducted this study midway through the project and not at its end. This approach (1) gave the team the possibility to take stock, pause, and reflect and (2) provided insight on future design improvements for increasing the perceived value of serendipitous urban discovery applications. Our results contribute towards a grounded understanding of user experience and help progress the development of cultural heritage applications that incorporate elements of reflection and/or place-based exploration into their functionalities.

Mini-symposium on Future Trends in Serious Games for Cultural Heritage

In combination with the appropriate content, serious games become an important modern-day educational tool, which reflects both the current state of technology and learners’ social profiles. The method helps instructors to motivate student learning, curiosity, creative and logical thought, as well as develop a variety of skills and competencies. Serious educational games aim to cultivate better comprehension strategies, creative thinking, learning-by-doing (production, authorship), and students’ engagement in their own cognition and learning processes. This mini-symposium on Future Trends in Serious Games for Cultural Heritage will present outcomes of the Serious Education Games as Contemporary Tools for New Educational Applications project, Contract DSD- 2/05.04.2017, between the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, activity Introduction of Contemporary Methods in Educating and Fostering Young Talent (PMC No 347), other projects in the field and will outline some future trends for cultural heritage game development.

Analyzing the educational design, use and effect of spatial games for cultural heritage: A literature review

Integrating game-based approaches with learning constitutes a prevailing trend in education and training, applied in several domains, one of which is cultural heritage. The present paper attempts a literature review of such approaches developed in the cultural domain. It analyzes 34 games which intend to enable a physical or virtual interaction with a cultural place and its objects. The article focuses, first, on the game genres and game plots used to cope with cultural content and then it investigates the contexts of use in which games for culture are applied and the social relationships they create. Finally, given the need for a better understanding of games effectiveness for learning and training, we examine the reported outcomes of the reviewed games.

Reusing Components from Cultural Heritage Games – the RAGE Project Approach

Video games proved to be an attractive media for presenting cultural heritage issues. They can use virtual worlds to present cultural and historic information in amazing and highly appealing way. Each video game is implemented using set of valuable artifacts (components) reflecting technological, socioeconomic and historical issues. These software components are known as software assets, which are key output of the RAGE project. They can be used by game developers to enhance the pedagogical and educational value of their games. These software assets cover a broad spectrum of functionalities, including emotion detection, intelligent adaptation and social gamification. In order to facilitate integration and interoperability, all of these assets adhere to a common model, which describes their properties through a set of metadata. In this paper, we present the RAGE asset model and asset metadata model, highlighting key issues and challenges in constructing RAGE assets and using asset metadata model with flexible metadata editor, facilitating both adaptation and improvement of the asset metadata model.

Serious Games for and as Cultural Heritage

Contemporary methods of preserving cultural heritage rely highly on digitization and archiving as foundations for developing various virtual heritage applications. During last two decades, video games proved to be an interactive visual media able to incorporate virtual heritage in amazing and highly appealing ways. At the same time, each video game represents a valuable artifact reflecting technological, socioeconomic and historical issues of its creation. Therefore, video games are an essential and integrated part of modern cultural heritage and themselves need preservation efforts. The present paper discusses video games as a modern tool for presenting cultural heritage by integrating art, storytelling and digital technology. It focuses on both entertainment games and serious games for cultural heritage and provides some illustrative examples of such games with discussing their approach and novelty. On the other hand, video games are viewed as interactive artifacts that are a valuable part of the modern cultural heritage, which requires specific efforts for their preservation together with technological platforms and gaming environment.

Designing Games for Cultural Heritage: Integrating Process, Material Culture and Intangible Heritage

This paper reviews a number of cultural heritage games that have been developed by faculty at the Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction & Creativity (MAGIC) at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Fundamental to designing engaging cultural heritage games is that of integrating material culture, social history and intangible cultural heritage. There is not much existing guidance on how to successfully create engaging heritage games and in this paper we outline some of the main issues and conclude with a few ideas that might help move the field forward.

An approach for serious game development for cultural heritage

The unique aspects of different places seem to require games of different characteristics. This paper describes the initial steps of an attempt to design games for different places of cultural heritage and consists of three parts. In the first part, the descriptive model to be used as a classification method for games of different characteristics for cultural heritage sites is presented. In the second part, the model is used for the creation of different cultural heritage games. Finally, the third part presents a detailed case study of one of the developed games, showing the implementation and user testing processes as well as its efficiency in terms of education and visit motivation.

Introduction to special issue on serious games for cultural heritage

Introduction to special issue on serious games for cultural heritage

Developing serious games for cultural heritage: a state-of-the-art review

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhanci...